Pleasure parade

Politicians usually flee the country for St Patrick's Day, becoming guests of honour at the parades in New York, Sydney and Outer Mongolia; this year, however, many TDs chose to stay at home and join the party, no doubt attracted by Dublin's new and improved St Patrick's Festival celebrations. Wednesday's parade of politicos was led by the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Jim McDaid, who was the special guest at the Bailey's Festival Breakfast in Dublin Castle, hosted by festival chairman, Michael Colgan, and Bailey's chief executive, Frank Fenn.

Champagne was hardly the traditional tipple in St Patrick's time, but it was the perfect accompaniment to the bubbly spring atmosphere at Dublin Castle. In fact, the weather on St Patrick's Day was so mild and sunny, actor David Kelly could have reprised his award-winning role in Waking Ned - his recent Irish comedy which has now taken in over $20 million at the American box office - and not even raise a goosebump.

Needless to say, Kelly, who was accompanied by his wife, Laurie Morton, did not ride a motorcycle bareback in the parade, but he did reveal his unbridled joy at winning the Golden Satellite Award for Waking Ned. "I beat Michael Caine and Robin Williams," said Kelly, proudly, "and I was also nominated for a Screen Actors Guild award along with Robert Duvall, Jeff Bridges and James Coburn. Duvall won it, but it was wonderful to even be nominated."

Kelly said he was pleased to have finally found stardom in his later years, but confessed that he was jetlagged from travelling back and forth to Hollywood, where he has been offered a number of roles on the basis of his bare-cheeked performance in Waking Ned. Dublin's Lord Mayor, Joe Doyle, had a horse of a different colour in mind when he arrived at the St Patrick's Hall, where the breakfast was being held. As he discussed flanks and fetlocks with Minister McDaid, the Mayor revealed that he fancied Nick Dundee to win in that afternoon's Sun Alliance Chase at Cheltenham. The Minister, meanwhile, was putting his money on Lord Of The River. In the event, the Lord Mayor's horse fell and the Minister's came second.

Both agreed, however, that this year's St Patrick's Festival was odds-on winner, judging by the large stampede of tourists into the Capital this week. Let's hope the visitors enjoy themselves; with the introduction of the new "tourist tax", everybody will soon have to pay for the privilege of visiting Dublin - now that would rain on anyone's parade.

Tucking into a hearty party breakfast were Prionsias De Rossa TD, actors Alan Stanford, Eamon Kelly, and Barry McGovern, food and travel writer Paulo Tullio, director of the Dublin Theatre Festival Tony O'Dalaigh, broadcaster Myles Dungan and artist Gerald Davis. Also enjoying the fry-up were Mau- reen Cairnduff, a director of Bord Failte - she's putting the finishing touches to the third edition of Who's Who In Ireland - secretary of Trinity College Michael Gleason, head of group corporate affairs at Aer Lingus John Dully, and director of the National Lottery Ray Bates.

Broadcaster Gerry Ryan was there with his wife, Morah, and their four children, Charlotte, Rex, Bonnie and Elliot. Michael Colgan's wife, actress Susan Fitzgerald, and their three children, Sarah, Sophie and Richard, were there too, as were nightclub owner, Robbie Fox, his wife, Martina, and their two children, Megan and Lorna.

Breakfast over and champagne imbibed, the Paddy's Day party was ushered to the grandstand beside Jury's Inn, where all watched the parade in the company of the President, Mrs McAleese, Niall Andrews MEP, Bernie Malone MEP, and Garda Commissioner Pat Byrne. Actress Pauline McLynn provided live commentary, introducing the President with just three words - no, not "feck, girls, drink" but "we love her!" Ah, go on, go on out of that.

After the parade, those who could negotiate the crowds and the traffic headed down to Renard's for a lunch of traditional Irish stew (a vegetarian version was also available for health-conscious Celtic Tiger cubs). Artist Louis Le Brocquy was impressed by the colour and pageantry of the parade, and said it proved Irish people were finally losing their inhibitions. "I never thought I'd see a parade like that in my lifetime," said the artist. "I can remember my childhood watching some very sad parades and thinking they were wonderful." Le Brocquy's wife, artist Anne Madden, was enthralled by the movement and fluidity of the pageants. "It's so iconoclastic," she said. "It's wonderful to see young Irish people dancing with such abandon, right in front of Christchurch Cathedral." The couple have just returned from their home in Carros in the south of France - their most recent guests at their Mediterranean idyll were Michael Colgan and U2 manager Paul McGuinness.

At 6 p.m., a prize for the most creative pageant was awarded at the South Frederick Street club - the judging panel comprised the children of Barry McGovern, journalist and critic Medb Ruane, Riverdance moguls John McColgan and Moya Doherty, architect Sam Stephenson, and Patrick Sutton, director of the Gaiety School of Acting. Top prize went to the colourful and sprog-friendly effort by Waterford's Spraoi.